Welcome back to The Tourism RESET. In this episode, I speak with Vitória and her son Alex, mother and son from Cristalino Lodge, a world leading ecotourism lodge in the Southern Amazon, Brazil.

A butterfly and a red flower carry Vitória's name, living tributes from scientists to a life devoted to the Amazon. When she was called 'crazy' for her vision to protect a region in the Southern Amazon and bring people from around the world to experience it, Vitória stayed true to her intuition.

What began as a deep knowing grew into Cristalino Lodge, now safeguarding 11,399 hectares of rainforest (equal in size to two Manhattans). It's a world-leading research hotspot, a sanctuary of immense biodiversity, and a living classroom where over 13,000 children have explored its trails.

In this conversation, Vitória and Alex reflect on how it all began, why education and science sit at the heart of their work, and how tourism - done with right - can become one of the most powerful forces to protect nature and uplift communities in a region that has long been under threat.

If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out my best learning resources for travel professionals and purpose-led tourism businesses. Created for those ready to reimagine and reset tourism for people, places, and nature. Visit The Tourism RESET.com

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Special thanks to Senderos who made this conversation possible.

Welcome back to The Tourism RESET with me, your host, Rebecca Woolford.

My next guest is Dr Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, an academic powerhouse and author who's spent her career advancing justice in tourism. She helped create the Code of Conduct for Tourism in the Holy Land, she's co-authored books on climate justice and community empowerment, and she's working with communities worldwide to reimagine what's possible.

This conversation is about understanding the system better so we can change it. Freya shares insights most of us were never taught AND the critical questions we are often missing entirely.

This episode is essential listening for evaluating genuine community tourism, NOT marketing fluff.

Here's what you'll discover in this episode:

🌍 Why Freya believes traditional tourism has been hijacked and by whom

🌍 Why community-owned AND community-led aren't the same as community-based and how to tell the difference as a travel professional

🌍 Real world examples where local communities are self-determining their futures

🌍 How to inform yourself. Understand what you're missing. Then choose a pathway.

If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out my learning resources designed for travel professionals and teams who lead with impact - including the on-demand masterclass How to Unlock the Power and Potential of Community-Led Tourism that Freya was part of.

Here is the preview of that masterclass - https://kiwanotourism.com/stories/video-preview-masterclass-community-tourism/

1. Stay in the know with my weekly eNewsletter @kiwanotourism.com
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Welcome back to The Tourism RESET with me, your host, Rebecca Woolford.

My guests today are Alessandra Alonso, award-winning founder of Women in Travel CIC - named one of 9 women transforming travel by Matador Network and one of 50 most important women in travel by Wanderlust AND Florbela, a tour guide whose story proves exactly why Alessandra's work matters.

For two decades, Alessandra has been championing women in tourism. It started when she noticed she was always the only woman in the boardroom. Women are 54% of tourism's workforce - yet rarely are they in decision-making roles (even today). So, she built the Tour Guiding Academy to change that.

It trains women like Florbela, who at almost 50 reinvented herself as a tour guide fuelled by passion, cultural heritage, and storytelling. Now she's creating exactly what travellers love most in the heart of London: authentic, immersive, deeply human experiences.

Here's what you'll discover in this episode:

🌍 "There is a lot of talent still totally invisible to industry" - where we're missing out by fishing from the same pond

🌍 Alessandra's journey: from being the only woman in every boardroom to building an academy that transforms lives

🌍 The business case + why curiosity matters: "Don't do things how they've always been done"

This is essential listening for tour operators, DMCs, and travel professionals who source guides or are looking for unique local experiences. Because the talent creating what travellers want most might be invisible to you and Alessandra shows you where to look.

Before visiting WTM in London this year, I joined Alessandra on a Syrian-Palestinian tour with Nadia, another academy graduate. On a memorable and engaging walking tour, we explored Syrian culture through London. If you're curious about the Tour Guiding Academy or would like to experience a tour find out more here -https://www.womenintravelcic.com/entrepreneurship/the-tour-guiding-academy/

If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out my learning resources designed for travel professionals and teams who lead with impact - including our hub of on-demand video masterclasses to lean into topics like those covered in today's episode.

1. Stay in the know with my weekly eNewsletter @kiwanotourism.com
2. Check out my YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@rebeccawoolford
3. Connect on Instagram: rebecca_kiwano
4. Connect on LinkedIn: rebecca-woolford

Welcome back to The Tourism RESET with me, your host, Rebecca Woolford.

Climate action gets the headlines. But what about climate justice?

In this episode, Jeremy Sampson, CEO of The Travel Foundation, shares his journey into tourism, what's shifted in six years at the helm, and the reality of rebuilding an organisation from the ground up.

We talk about why climate adaptation doesn't inspire anyone, why climate justice is now shifting the conversation, and what happens when you find a hill worth dying on.

Here's what you'll hear in this episode:

🌍 "All we want is a hill to die on, and if we die on that hill, so be it." (6:00 mins)

🌍 "I actually walked into the interview thinking The Travel Foundation was TUI's non-profit... it left the Travel Foundation in a precarious position" (9:00 mins)

🌍 "It doesn't feel right and it doesn't feel fair..." (28:03 mins)

🌍 "Adaptation doesn't inspire anyone. Crisis is an endpoint to create something new" (31:30 mins)

If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out my best learning resources designed for travel professionals and teams that lead with impact.

1. Stay in the know with my weekly eNewsletter @kiwanotourism.com
2. Check out my YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@rebeccawoolford
3. Connect on Instagram: rebecca_kiwano
4. Connect on LinkedIn: rebecca-woolford

What's It Really Like Leading Sustainability in a Large Travel Company?

In this episode, I sit down with three incredible women—all chiefs of impact and heads of sustainability from major travel companies: Sara King from Intrepid Travel, Shannon Guihan from The Travel Corporation, and Kasia Morgan from Exodus Adventure Travels, part of the Travelopia group.

We discuss the misconceptions surrounding their roles, why communication is critical to driving change and touch on climate anxiety and pet peeves that come with the territory.

If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out our free learning resources, and hub of video masterclasses designed for travel professionals and teams that lead with impact.

1. Stay in the know with my weekly eNewsletter @kiwanotourism.com
2. Check out my YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@rebeccawoolford
3. Connect on Instagram: rebecca_kiwano
4. Connect on LinkedIn: rebecca-woolford

Behind every great travel or tourism business — no matter the size — is someone who asks better questions, takes consistent action, and refuses to choose between profit and purpose.

SMEs — small medium enterprises — are said to make up between 80-90% of global tourism. These are the stories of change that often go unheard, whispers of transformation that can go unnoticed in one of the world's largest industries.

These Mini Stories are different from our usual interviews. They're a chance to hear from members of our community of learners who continue to show up and lean into curiosity.

In this episode, I sat down with Helen Bateman, founder of Firecrest Travel, a UK-based boutique agency with transformative travel and adventure at its heart.

*Nature sounds from the country where the interview takes place are interwoven throughout, creating space for reflection.*

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Welcome back to The Tourism RESET with me, Rebecca Woolford. Today, I’m joined by the incredible Thomas Newmark for a deep dive into the C-word. Yes, you guessed it — CARBON.

Thomas brings decades of wisdom — and he’s not afraid to challenge the status quo.

A seasoned expert and public speaker he is also a wonderful, kind man. Previously the chair of the Greenpeace Fund of the United States. Board chair of the American Botanical Council. And Co‑founder and Board Chair of the Soil Carbon Initiative.

Tom is also the Co-owner of Finca Luna Nueva Lodge, who is leading the way in regenerative tourism in Costa Rica. I've had the pleasure of knowing Tom and his ecolodge in Costa Rica for many years and every time we speak I learn something new - you will too.

If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out my best learning resources for travel professionals and purpose-led tourism-based teams. Created for those ready to reimagine tourism for people, places, and nature.

1. Stay in the know with my weekly eNewsletter @kiwanotourism.com
2. Check out my YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@rebeccawoolford
3. Connect on Instagram: rebecca_kiwano
4. Connect on LinkedIn: rebecca-woolford

Welcome back to the Tourism RESET with your host Rebecca Woolford. Today I’m chatting with Jonathan Coleman, CEO of Untours – the world’s FIRST certified B Corp company! And earned the title- awarded by Paul Newman and John F. Kennedy Jr. - “Most Generous Company in America!”.

We dive into the fascinating founding story of Untours, the Untours Foundation, the radical vision of its founder Hal Taussig, and what most people don’t realise about how private foundations often work.

This episode pulls back the curtain on the traditional model of philanthropy – and how Untours Foundation flips the script.

Discover in this fascinating conversation:

1. What Untours and Their Foundation Is Doing Differently In Tourism
2. Why We Need To Rethink Philanthropy, Profit, and Power & Ask Better Questions
3. How Their Funds Avoid The Saviour Narrative - actually putting money to work

If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out some of my best learning resources for travel professionals and purpose-led tourism-based teams. Created for those ready to reimagine tourism for people, places, and nature.

1. Stay in the know with my weekly eNewsletter @kiwanotourism.com
2. Check out my YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@rebeccawoolford
3. Connect on Instagram: rebecca_kiwano
4. Connect on LinkedIn: rebecca-woolford